1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to pool cover systems and, more particularly, is concerned with multiple pool cover deployment method and apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Commercial swimming pools are expensive to operate mainly because of the enormous consumption of energy to maintain them at the desired temperature. In this respect indoor pools are even more expensive because they operate year round. To keep a comfortable relative humidity in a natatorium requires a complex exhaust system in which cold air is taken in and warm moisture-laden air is exhausted out. Even natatoriums with dehumidifying equipment which recovers energy, costs almost as much to operate as externally exhausting ones.
To conserve energy some pool owners have been using thermal or solar covers which retain heat and reduce water evaporation during the pool's idle periods and thus reduce energy consumption. Examples of pool cover systems found in the prior patent art are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. to Lockshaw (4,103,368), Trihey (4,313,421), Zook (4,385,407), Kremen (4,402,305 and 4,470,404), Stolar (4,411,031), Sartain et al (4,459,711), Paradis (4,709,688), Wolfson et al (4,972,529) and Lof et al (5,184,356).
One problem associated with pool cover systems is that the deployment or retraction of pool covers from the pool surface is difficult. As exemplified by several of these patents, in order to handle pool covers more conveniently a variety of reel systems have been developed for residential and commercial application. With manually operated reel systems, however, the covering and uncovering of a pool is cumbersome and time-consuming, especially with installations at large commercial pools employing multiple covers. To wind up all the covers usually more than one reel is deployed or, more often, a reel with two or three cylinders on one carriage is needed. When the cover has to be deployed, a reel is positioned adjacent to the edge of the pool so that a cover can be unwound therefrom and laid across the pool surface as desired. The covers are usually unwound by being pulled by hand. In more advanced systems the covers are deployed with a rope which is attached to a leading edge of the cover, then stretched across the pool length and pulled from the opposite end by hand. After the cover has been laid down, the operator has to detach the rope and take the rope back to the reel at the opposite side of the pool. The operator must then attach the rope to the next cover, walk back to the opposite end of the pool and repeat these operations as many times as there are covers.
Another problem associated with pool cover systems is that for outdoor pools, the covers when wound on the reel have to be protected from the sun (especially the translucent polyethylene bubble type commonly referred to as solar covers). First of all, heat eventually causes it to delaminate or even melt down. Second, the ultra violet radiation gradually alters the molecular structure of the material causing it to become brittle and start to disintegrate prematurely. To prevent this from happening, the manufacturers of these products supply each cover with a white plastic sheet and instructions on how to use it. However, the prescribed procedures are rather cumbersome, and for that reason, the protective covers frequently are not applied properly or not used at all. As a result, the covers do not last as long as they would with proper care.
In view of the above-described problems, a need exists for improvement of the current pool cover systems particularly in the case of systems using multiple pool covers.